title: Pump up the volume - a central role for the plasma membrane H(+) pump in pollen germination and tube growth.
abstract: The plasma membrane H(+) ATPase is a member of the P-ATPase family transporting H(+) from the cytosol to the extracellular space and thus energizing the plasma membrane for the uptake of ions and nutrients. As a housekeeping gene, this protein can be detected in almost every plant cell including the exclusive expression of specific isoforms in pollen grains and tubes where its activity is a prerequisite for successful germination and growth of pollen tubes. This review summarizes the current knowledge on pollen PM H(+) ATPases and hypothesizes a central role for pollen-specific isoforms of this protein in tube growth. External as well as cytosolic signals from signal transduction and metabolic pathways are integrated by the PM H(+) ATPase and directly translated to tube growth rates, allocating the PM H(+) ATPase to an essential node in the signalling network of pollen tubes in their race to the ovule.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Plant Biophysics and Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Billrothstr. 11, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pertl-Obermeyer
authors.forename: Minou J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Safiarian
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Obermeyer
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D018525:Germination; D008958:Models, Molecular; D063245:Plant Development; D010944:Plants / Q000201:enzymology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D053205:Pollen Tube / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D054817:Pollination; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases